1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an toner collection apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, in image recording apparatus, for example, printing device with electrophotography, copying device or facsimile device, in order to record an image, first forming a electrostatic latent image by using a LED (Light Emitting Diode) head to expose the surface of photoconductor drum electrified uniformly and equally, then forming a toner image by using a image developing device to developing the electrostatic latent image, further transferring the toner image on sheet by using a transference device, moreover recording an image by using a fixing device to fix the toner image on the sheet.
After transference, the disused toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor drum, serving as waste toner, is removed by a cleaning device and collected into collection box. Then, the toner collected is dumped or is reused by being provided to the image developing device.
Also, in a color image recording apparatus with tandem form, a conveyance belt with endless is made moving; image forming units of cyan, magenta, yellow and black are set along the moving direction of the conveyance belt; and transferring rollers are set respectively toward each image forming unit for sandwiching the conveyance belt.
In each image forming unit, first forming a electrostatic latent image by using a LED (Light Emitting Diode) head to expose the surface of photoconductor drum electrified uniformly and equally, then forming a single-color toner image by using a image developing device to developing the electrostatic latent image.
Then, conveying sheet by the conveyance belt and forming a color toner image by using a transference device to transfer each single-color toner images on the sheet, moreover recording a color image by using a fixing device to fix the color toner image on the sheet.
In such image recording apparatus, if any one of the image forming units is not at the right place, when forming the color toner image, the color deviation will happen. Therefor, forming directly each single-color image on the conveyance belt, then detecting respective places by using image detecting sensor, further amending the deviation among single-color images. In this case, after amendment, because toners respectively used for constructing each single-color image formed on the conveyance belt become disused, it is necessary to remove the disused toner.
Moreover, In such image recording apparatus, with respect to construction, because each image forming unit is set such as contacting with the conveyance belt, the toner of the image forming unit is stuck easily on the conveyance belt. In particular, in this case that using such sheet with narrow size (for example, a postal card or an envelope or the like), the toner on the area which does not corresponds to the sheet, is also stuck easily on the conveyance belt.
Therefor, the collection box assembly for waste toner is set along the conveyance belt, the waste toner, after being collected, is dumped.
FIG. 2 is a squint drawing showing a conventional conveyance belt unit, FIG. 3 is a squint drawing showing a conventional collection box assembly, FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view on the A—A position of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a squint drawing showing an installing state of a conventional stirring bar.
As shown by FIG. 2, the conveyance belt unit 10 comprises a driving roller Ra, a subordinate roller Rb, a conveyance belt 12 with endless which is set between the driving roller Ra and the subordinate roller Rb, and a collection box assembly 11 for collecting the toner 18a serving as waste toner 18 on the conveyance belt 12.
The collection box assembly 11, as shown by FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises a box 13 for collecting the toner 18, a blade 14 for scraping up the toner 18a on the conveyance belt 12 moving along an arrow direction a, a film 15 for preventing the scraped toner from being scattered, a cover 16, a stirring bar 17 and a gear 19 for making the stirring bar rotate.
The waste toner 18 scraped up by the blade 14, is stirred by the stirring bar 17 which rotates along an arrow direction b and is controlled by a driving system (which is not shown) and is set under the blade 14, and is piled up in the box 13.
However, in the conventional collection box assembly 11, when repeating the image records, a lot of the waste toner 18 is piled up just under the stirring bar 17, there is a possibility of that the waste toner 18 overflows the box 13. Therefor, it is impossible to sufficiently collect the waste toner 18.